Empire of Crystals
by BlueVectorStudio
Summary: Disclaimer: This was originally an assignment from my creative writing professor. I am a Game Design major and thus have written an original Final Fantasy type story. Hope you enjoy. As soon as I can think of a proper summary, I'll write one up.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Vehlahn, a world of floating cities powered by a form of technology known as CrysTech. Long ago, this technology was discovered by the Grenschal Organization to make the lives of the citizens easier and to protect them from a world filled with evil creatures and those tainted by the whims that the Organization has labeled to be False Gods. With their rise to power, the people left the world on the ground to live in these floating sanctuaries, protected by the forces of the Grenschal Organization. At the heart of these cities sits large crystals that emitted a light that seemed to pulse the cities to life, giving homes to those who lived there, protected by the Crystals. For many years, the citizens lived blissful and happy lives, far from fear of what lived below on the world's surface. It has now been so long that many do not recall what the surface world was like, but why would they care? They are living happy lives aren't they? But I fear, everything is not as it all appears. In fact, the shadows of what they fear were creeping around the corner, but the truth had been kept silent. It always had.

My only wish, is that our fate had been different. I always questioned if what we were doing was right. But in the end, it was not our choice. Fate had a different plan. Could we call Her that? Fate? I never knew She existed until back then, nor did I know what she meant by that we were to be "blessed by the crystals." This story is not mine alone, but rather ours. Who knew that one event would change us forever? To destroy the lives we once knew and in turn, give us this amazing adventure. To whomever is listening to the record I've left behind, understand that we did not mean to harm the world. However, it seems that we were destined to save it.

Please listen to my story with an open heart and clear mind, for what I'm about to reveal to you is going to be one erratic tale. But be rest assured that this is all truth. No matter what they tell you, or what lies they feed you, this is the unedited truth. We risked everything, even our own futures. That is where our story begins.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"In today's news, Grenschal forces moved in to apprehend the members of the terrorist organization known as Lotus. The Aether Corps raided what sources revealed to be one of their main safe houses in hopes to capture their leader, who is known only as, Lynx. The Aether Corps managed to arrest several top members of Lotus; but failed to locate any leads that would allow them to locate where Lynx is currently hiding," the television continued on with the report as mute flashed up on the screen. Letting the remote drop back onto the table, the young man let out a large yawn, before lifting himself up off the couch and looking around his slightly messy office.

"Like hell they're gonna catch Lynx. Those guys are rookies compared to the Crimson Wings. Granted, they get cool toys like those Aether-Drives, but they're still amateurs," he proclaimed his boots clicking against the tile floor as he walked back to his desk.

He was young, though his clothes gave away his military past. He still wore the light blue pants of his unit along with the black boots that had the pant legs tucked into them, and still had the red wings, a signature emblem the Crimson Wings used on their uniforms. At his ankles along with his black v-neck t-shirt that he wore almost like it was his signature style. Around his neck rested a necklace that held a charm that resembled a claw holding this red glass like orb in it's claw. Running a hand through his light brown hair, he peered out the window. Letting out a sigh, he reached to his right thigh and drew a dagger with a good sized blade from it's sheath.

"When the hell is she getting back with lunch? I can't complain since I don't really pay her. But I'm hungry, dammit?" he asked no one in particular, but the voice that came to answer caught him off guard.

"Like you're one to talk! You just sit around here and hope you get a client for a good paying job, Firo!" came a sharp woman's voice as she stepped into the office, carrying a white bag in her right hand while her left sat on her hip. Her lips twisted in frustration as she looked him over. Yshimu had been a long time friend of Firo's for as long as anyone could actually remember. She was a young Mi'qutahl, a race of humanoid beings that carried cat-like traits such as their ears, tails, and the features of their eyes. She was wearing a simple outfit, but one that seemed to be a bit in fashion for a young woman. A pale blue shirt with tan pants and simple pair of boots that ended at her ankles. They seemed more like shoes rather than boots given the style, but it seemed to fit her best of all. A small ear ring charm with a silver feather hung from her left ear.

"Oh! Hey, you're back," he replied, with a small grin in hopes that she wasn't too mad at him for his complaints.

"I'm back. But I don't think I'm going to give you your food," she said as she strolled into the office, heading towards the couch. The way her tail swayed low, was all Firo had to see to know he was in some trouble. Promptly sitting down, she began placing food onto the small table. "In fact," she continued on, "I think I'll just eat everything. You'll be lucky if there's anything left at all, you jerk."

"H-Hey! But I paid for the food!" he cried out, as if trying to plead his case before her.

She glanced at him coldly, slowly opening one of the containers of what was going to be lunch. Not saying a word to him in return.

"Wait! Wait! I…. I'll treat you to dinner!" he almost shouted loud enough to be heard outside the office. He saw Yshimu's ears flicker up and down at his bribe, and then the small grin that grew on her face until it became a cheerful smile.

"Now with an offer like that, how could I say no? You're food is in the bag, so come eat!" she spoke out cheerfully as she grabbed a fork and started eating her meal happily.

Giving out a defeated sigh as he sat across from her and retrieved his meal, he looked up at her with a complete look of defeat. "You're cold, Yshimu…" he said in a low tone.

"Hmm.. I'm sorry, what was that?" Yshimu replied flippantly, giving him her best innocent smile, almost daring him to repeat himself.

"Nothing. Nothing. I feel sorry for the guy who chooses to date you. Maybe I should put out a warning bulletin about the way you ea- OW!" he was interrupted by a sudden sharp pain that struck his shin. Yshimu had kicked him hard underneath the table without even looking away from her food to do so.

This was their normal routine when they didn't have a job. Just sitting in the office they rented in a building in the lower end of the city. The rent was cheap, and someone always had a job that needed doing. Especially when clients paid up front, there weren't many that would take a job like those without asking too many questions. About half-way through their peaceful lunch, the phone rang. Yshimu shot Firo a glance before looking at the phone. That small moment of silence was enough to understand what she was saying. Putting down his fork, he got up and walked over towards his desk. He took a breath lifting the phone off it's base and held it against his ear.

"Yes, how can I help you?" he asked into the phone. The voice he heard reply made him grin.

"It's been a while my young friend. How's Yshimu? Is she still quite the beauty?" the voice of an older man spoke.

"Well, if it isn't Cid. Yshimu is still her normal self. If you keep flirting with her, she might actually try to sue you for sexual harassment," Firo replied with a simple joke of his own, waiting to hear what Cid wanted from him.

"Ah, I should stop then. Can't she humor a poor, lonely old man such as myself?" Cid asked, trying to hold back a snicker, but clearly failing.

"Cid, if you try anything, I'll cut it off," Yshimu spoke out coldly from the couch. Firo could only flinch at the idea.

"Fine, fine. I'm calling about a job. No one has even bothered to check my reports and I fear something big is about to happen," Cid sounded serious as he began relaying the information to Firo. "The pay is double our standard rate."

"Double, huh? I'm afraid to find out how you get this money. I take it you'll need us to drop by for some new toys?" he was happy to hear about the pay.

"That's right. Come tonight. I'll have my assistant leave the package at the usual spot. I'll give you the full report at my lab," Cid hung up shortly after.

Firo hung up the phone and smiled as he sat down in the chair behind his desk, basking in the light that flooded in from the open windows. "Yshimu, we're getting paid double for this!"

"Double?!" She choked as she searched for her drink and tried to wash down the food. Letting out a relieved breath, she turned around on the couch to look at him. "I can't argue with that! He better not try to grope me again, though. My price is much too high to even allow him to do that," she said with a sly grin on her face, her ears twitching in anticipation. "Usual set up?"

"Yeah. But he said this a big job. It might be something those Grenschal hounds don't want to acknowledge and hope it will fade away. We better be careful. Get our Aether-Drives before we leave," he looked out the window, watching the citizens walk through the streets. The Barshaal were common to find in the lower end parts of the city. The Barshaal were a race of reptile like humanoids, who until fifteen years ago were classified as being of the Beastman races and were barred from any sort of work within the cities. In fact, most of the other races were once considered to be of the Beast-Tribes long ago. It was just easier for the more human like races, like the Veruul and the Mi'qutahl, to be accepted as actual citizens. Knowing this, Firo let out a shallow sigh as he watched the illegal dealings in the street.

"I wonder when we can afford to move to a new city. Those airship tickets are so expensive," he said as he let his gaze slide over to Yshimu, noticing that her ears lowered.

"Maybe we should look to better clients. You know, the rich ones?" she asked as she got up off the couch. She made her way over to the large cabinet that sat in the room and pulled the doors open. Reaching inside, she grabbed two devices and turned them on. They howled with a whirring sound as they came to life with a red light flashing on the front of them. "They're warming up."

Firo chose to ignore the question posed to him. Choosing instead to retreat into his mind, as he began pondering things over. Yshimu watched him fall silent, feeling the guilt fall onto her as her ears and tail lowered.

"Are you still bothered by that?" she asked as she walked up to his desk, setting down one of the Aether-Drives, the light was now glowing a steady blue.

His response was silence as he reached for the device, only to have his hand caught by her. "You can't blame yourself forever, you know…" she said before releasing his hand to he could take the device and clip it to his belt.

"We should start getting ready. Start locking up the place," he said as he rose from his chair and began walking towards the office door, opening it before he stepped out and to descend down the stairs. Yshimu could only watch on as her friend began heading out of the office. Letting out a defeated sigh, she followed after him, attaching the device to her waist.

Making their way through the back streets of the city, they followed their normal route they went when it came to paying Cid a visit. Yshimu kept watching his back as Firo led the way, not saying a word. She felt guilty about bringing up his past now. She was searching for the words that would help to salve the wound that she had opened. The words never came easily, but as she reached up to her ear ring and played with it with her fingers, she muttered to herself.

"Idiot… why did you bring that up?" she said under her breath before biting her lip. "Uhm, Firo…. I'm sorry… for before. I didn't mean to bring that up," her apology sounded pathetic, but it was sincere.

"Don't worry about it. It was orders and it was the past. Let's not dwell on it," his voice sounded sharp. He was upset, but he was trying to hide it from his friend. He pushed forward, not paying the merchants any mind.

They continued on, past all the shady shops and clubs that lined the road. Past all the many citizens of the city that were busy with their own dealings to be bothered with the presence of those two. Past the illegal citizens and their questionable merchandise. Beyond the glow of late night venues that seemed like night clubs given the shadows of the city. As if it were trying to hide their sin from the prying eyes of the world and away from the officials who police the world. This was the way of Freyja, the floating city of merchants and science.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They would come to a small alley where a few Barshall were searching for scraps of anything they could sell. Firo and Yshimu just glanced at them before making their way to a door that was covered in stickers, rust, and a recruitment poster for Lotus that had a hooded figure on it. The Barshall just glanced at them before shrugging and returning to their junk hunt. Firo opened the door, letting both of them walk inside before letting it shut behind them as they walked into what felt like a dark hallway. Walking down until there was a wall with a keypad before them. Firo reached out and began entering in the pass code, causing the device to let out a cheerful little tune. A loud metallic grinding came from the door as the locks released, allowing the door to open slightly.

With a gentle push the door swung open to a catwalk that went over part of the lab below. Firo and Yshimu walked into the lab and down towards the steps that seemed to spiral down to the main floor below them. The dim lab was lit only by the lights of the monitors and machines that seemed to be singing their mechanized symphony that only Cid and his assistants could understand, being the composers they were in that world within their lab. Cid was sitting at the main computer station, watching over some information, when he heard them reach the bottom of the stairs.

"Ah! It's about time you made it here! Come here quickly," Cid beckoned to them before swirling his chair back around to focus on the screen before him.

Yshimu gave Firo a look of concern, to which he only replied with a nod. They both walked up to him, Firo pulled up a chair before taking a seat next to Cid.

"So what's the job?" Firo asked, glancing at the screen.

"It's serious I'm afraid. I've sent my reports to the higher ups but they refuse to pay attention to the reports," Cid stopped tinkering with the terminal before turning to face him. "Judging by the readings, we're going to have a large scale Aetherial disturbance on our hands. And I think Grenschal is going to use it as a cover story. I want you both at the main crystal to keep an eye on things. Lotus of Grenschal might look to take advantage of the situation which will put a lot of the citizens in danger."

"Aetherial disturbance? But doesn't the crystal just power the city's main functions that keep it floating?" Yshimu asked curiously as she tried to digest the information.

"It's much more than that, Yshimu. If Cid's worried, then it has to be something big," Firo stated in thought as he sat back in the chair.

Cid grinned as he leaned back and looked over at Yshimu before he said, "My assistant can explain that. Mayu, would you care to explain?"

A young Miqutahl came over from one of the work tables, wearing a lab coat over a blue dress suit. Peering through glasses, she drew in a breath before she spoke, "Of course, Master Cid. Aether is a form of energy that flows throughout the world. We can only speculate where the source of it is from, but there are legends about those crystals. It's said that the Aether and the Crystals are gifts, or rather pieces of the mother of our world, Sylphaal. A Goddess. To create balance within the world, she bore several beings known as Eikons. Each Eikon is the embodiment of the world's different energies: Fire, Water, Ice, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Light and Dark. But one of her sons chose to oppose her and he began creating his own followers, by tainting their purity. He even enslaved his siblings to turn against their mother. He tried to dethrone the Goddess, but she summoned every ounce of her power to seal him away. By doing so, she sealed away all of her children into crystals and thread their Aether through the world. This was to try to keep the stray son from escaping and tainting the world again. Our world had grown quiet, but as she wept the loss of her children, the Aether created new life forms. The ones the inhabit the world now. The Aether, is a strange energy that our world produces and when compressed, forms those crystals that we use. Through further refining, we have managed to make the Materia that the Aether-Drives use."

Yshimu watched Cid's assistant explain this matter to her. She listened in awe, nodding her head as she took in the details. "So, you think that this Eikon is the reason behind the imbalance?" Yshimu asked in a very concerned tone.

"Not precisely. Rather, I think it's the over mining of the crystals and the Aether that might be weakening the seals that bound the Eikon. As long the Eikon's lack the neccessary Aether, they cannot retain a physical form," Mayu said as she chimed in to answer in Cid's place.

"In short, I think that if the legends are true then we are about to face something big. A lot of people might die because of it. So I want the three of you to help reduce the damage as much as possible," Cid explained as he pulled up a window on the screen. "According to this, the source of the problem will be at the main crystal that's in the town square. I want the three of you to investigate the readings first hand. If anything should happen, handle it. By the time the military gets involved, it will be too late."

Firo nodded in understanding before he stretched. "So the package will be under the bench at the park. So what new upgrades are we getting?"

"You're Aether-Drives are going to be upgraded with ice and water materia. They should prove useful considering fire Aether has been growing around the crystal. If the Aether decides to compress itself, you might experience some monsters coming through it," Cid replied as he motioned towards the readings.

"Lady Yshimu, we've finished making your bow. We hope it's to your liking,"said a young Vahrul male that came up to Yshimu, handing her this device that seemed like it was capable to expand itself to it's true form. Yshimu grasped it by the handle and held it ready as she watched it expand to it's full bow form. She smiled with satisfaction. "You pull back at the string as if you were to notch an arrow and the materia will generate one made from the energy. For the best effect, we've equipped it with wind materia."

Yshimu nodded and looked over the young Vahrul. The Vahrul were another of the humanoid races within the world. They looked more human than the Mi'qutahl, but they had exceptional hearing due the the long ears that grew from their head. They were like the ears of a rabbit. The Vahrul were a race known for their intelligence and agility. They did lack in strength however, and they always appeared younger than their actual age.

"That's really cool. Thanks again, kiddo!" Yshimu praised the young lad, pulling back at the string slightly to feel the energy collect and see it try to take form. She quickly reached for her Aether-Drive and handed it over to him for the upgrade. Firo watched and did the same.

"So when does this operation begin, Cid?" Firo asked as he looked at the watch that sat on his wrist.

"This evening. When the shift change happens. You'll have to try to keep suspicions about your activity to a minimum. We don't need those military goons to get in the way. Although I'm sure a few units will be on high alert. It's good to know that some of our friends do listen when this crazy, old man has something to say," Cid replied with a fatigued grin.

"Think we'll run into any trouble?" Yshimu asked in a concerned tone.

"Without a doubt," Firo replied without any hesitation.

The park that surrounded the crystal was lively with the citizens walking along the paths. Some were enjoying the company of another, while others were making their daily commute from work to home. There was a fountain that surrounded the crystal that had engraved markings to represent fire. The crystal's light illuminated the dimly lit park at the central area. The was filled with the sounds of people talking and laughing. And with the gently flowing water of the fountain that had steam rising from it's surface. The sky had grown dark as stars began to speckle the night sky. The air felt heavy for some reason. Firo couldn't figure out why. At least, not on his own. He was seated on the designated bench with Yshimu at his side. They almost looked like a young couple that was on a park date. They would if there wasn't Cid's assistant leaning against the back of the bench, with her nose in her large book. Firo glanced to make sure there weren't any soldiers around before he reached under the bench and pulled out the device left for them. Strapping the strange computer to his arm, he tapped the screen. Eyes scanning the screen as he began looking at the readings.

"Any major change on the reading yet?" Mayu asked impatiently as she closed her book with a loud thud.

"Yeah. It's growing dense. Just as Cid said it would. But something seems off. It's like another Aether is trying to devour it," he replied nervously.

"Devour? What do you mean? What's going to happen?" Yshimu asked as she looked around nervously, desperately trying to stay calm.

"I don't know. But be ready you two," Firo spoke in a serious tone as he tinkered with the device.

The Aether that seemed to flow as a glowing silhouette around the crystal grew dense, almost choking the light from the crystal itself. The street lights began to flicker, struggling to keep the paths lit. This confused the people that were in the park. The air felt heavier. Even hotter than normal. It continued to grow slowly. It was making it hard to breath now. Firo, Yshimu, and Mayu struggled to breath. Desperately, they glanced around for any clues of what could be the source of this.

"Children of my sorrow. Listen to me. A daunting task is about to be thrust upon you. I beg you, summon your strength and save my child. Redeem my children and earn their blessings," a strange woman's voice echoes in their heads.

The three of them looked at each other in a mixture of panic and confusion. But before they could even regain their composure, a loud crack filled the air. It grew and several more were heard. The crystal that stood at the center of the park, whose light was being choked away, began cracking and pieces of it began to fall from it to crash into the ground. Through the dust that rose from the ground, the Aether in the air began to twist together, taking form until finally the energy ignited with a strange cackling laughter. These strange creatures that were round in shape but were engulfed in flame had eyes of black and a jagged tooth mouth with two short arms they floated in the air. The cackling grew as more began to form from the twisted Aether. They began flying out among the crowd, chasing after people and setting fire to anything they could.

"What the hell are those?" cried Yshimu as she rose to her feet and watched the chaos ensue around her.  
"Those are Bombs. They're quite common in the lower world," Mayu answered calmly as she placed her book into her side bag and readied herself.

"Then what the hell are they doing here?" Firo asked as he pulled out his dagger, releasing it into it's spear form as the hilt expanded into a pole arm's length.

"I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the Aether," Mayu answered calmly. It was the best answer she could even muster given the current information.

Yshimu drew her bow, and began notching back the string as she took aim at a nearby Bomb. Letting the arrow fly, it struck a Bomb in the back, causing it to spiral out of control until it seemed to burn itself out in a violent puff of smoke and ash.

"Well, they can die at least. That's a start," Firo joked as he struck one down with a slash of his spear.

Mayu jumped onto the park bench to stand on higher ground. Passing a hand over the Aether-Drive, she collected the energy before throwing it in front of her, forming a large bubble of water that floated before her. Throwing her arms straight out to her sides, the ball of water fired stream shots at two Bombs that were close together, extinguishing their flames. They cried out in pain instead of cackling. They cried until they collapsed on the ground as lumps of soaked ashes. In the distance, gun shots could be heard as well as soldiers shouting commands at the citizens.

"Evacuate the area immediately! Leave your things behind! Don't risk your lives!" one soldier barked out at the crowd as he was firing at the Bombs.

"The cavalry has arrived. Seems they were waiting," Firo said sarcastically as he reached out a hand and blasted a Bomb with ice energy from his Aether-Drive.

The continued trying to kill as many of the Bombs they could. Mayu looked back towards the soldiers and noticed the Bomb that was heading towards them was larger than most of the ones they had been killing. She watched as some of the soldiers were trying to use the magic from their Aether-Drives to kill it, but they were using fire materia. She watched in panic as each spell made the Bomb grow larger and larger. The cackling grew deeper until she saw it. The Bomb began to shake violently before going into a spiral in mid-air, and the flames intensified. Then came the dreaded sound. A large explosion came from the Bomb, killing it and several of the soldiers that were caught in the blast radius.

"Those idiots just got themselves killed!" Mayu clicked her tongue in annoyance, but also felt guilt for not having the time to prevent it. "Bombs explode when you feed them fire."

The military vehicles were now on fire and so were the bodies that were spread across the ground. It was a terrible sight to see. Shortly after the explosion, the sound of an engine came from overhead. A large military ship hovered above the park and began opening pod doors, dropping it's payload on the park. With gigantic thuds, these giant golems of steel landed on the ground, kneeling. The eyes hummed to life as the armored giants of steel rose to their feet, lifting a large sword to their side and began swiping at the monsters that kept spawning. Their bodies creaked and groaned with every move they made. Every step resounded with heavy thud.

"So they're calling in the golems, huh?" Firo commented at the sight of the Aether-Tech golems that were now taking the front line.

Those soulless machines took to fighting the monsters without hesitation. But the Aether around the crystal seemed to begin to grow more unstable as the fight continued on. By now the civilians had all been evacuated out of the park and now watched from the safety of being behind the barricade that the military had erected. The sounds of gunfire and explosions continued to fill the air, along with the cackling of those monsters. A dark oil like substance began to stir within the crystal that still stood, clouding the clarity the crystal once had. Firo saw this, and immediately had a sinking feeling hit his gut. The air around the crystal was soon engulfed in fire and a strange beast-like roar echoed throughout. The mindless golems turned their attention to the roar and began their marching advance towards the source.

"The readings have reached dangerous levels! What's going on?!" Cid's voice rang into Firo's ear through the communications device.

"I wish I knew, Cid! We've got monsters forming here!" Firo shouted back to Cid, giving a very brief report of the situation.

"Dammit. I'll start preparing the back-up plan," Cid replied angrily. "We'll be by in a few to pick you guys up."

Shortly after, the com-link was filled with static. Then came a large explosion of energy, causing the fire to lash out wildly at the air. Devouring what it could. Firo, Yshimu, and Mayu were shielding by the golems as they were knocked back, the steel on the front of their iron bodies were so badly melted, that the joints were either locked or didn't exist at all anymore. They gazed up from the wreckage that now laid before them, to see a beast of crimson flesh stand proudly where the crystal once stood. It roared out violently as breaths of fire came from it's nostrils. Slamming down a large clawed hand, letting out a menacing snarl. The creature stared down a golem that was charging towards it, raising it's sword to strike the beast. With a simple swipe of it's claws, it sent the golem flying with deep molten gashes within it's body. Moving to free itself from the remains of the crystals that laid below it. The creature had large curved horns that grew from it's head, the snout of a canine like beast, a skinny body that was broad in stature and had brown hairs grow from the back of it's head that continued down to it's back. The claws were the color of black that resembled the darkest nightmares. It rose to stand upon it's hind legs, reaching out to the sky with it's front arms and released a deep growling howl. Revealing around it's neck was a black collar that had chains attached to the shackles on it's arms.

Firo watched in awe as the creature before him rose. It's was so much bigger than the golems that the military had been sending it. He felt himself frozen in fear until a woman's voice rang in his head.

"Free my child and receive his blessings. You must purify him. Only then, will he be free."

"What the hell is that?" Yshimu asked as she took a few steps back, readying her bow.

"Lord of the Inferno, Ifrit. One of the Eikons," answered Mayu as she swallowed her fear, trying hard to not tremble in his presence. "Ifrit is alive once more…"

"So you mean to tell me… that they are real after all?" Firo asked, raising his spear to his stance, ready to strike.

"It would seem so. But we need to stop him. If we don't, he may very well destroy this city," Mayu spoke as she reached down and adjusted her Aether-Drive.

"Like we have a damn choice. Dammit it all!" Firo exclaimed as he began making the advance. "Yshimu, try to keep a distance! Mayu, give me support!"

"Right!" both of them replied and nodded eagerly.

Yshimu moved back, keeping the beast in her sight. Pulling back the string, she took aim at Ifrit's bare stomach, hoping to find a weak spot. Letting the arrow fly through the air, she would notch back the string again, to fire off a few more shots in rapid succession. The arrows bore into Ifrit's flesh, angering the beast. It came down with a resounding crash as it stood on all fours again. Seeing Firo charge towards it, Ifrit lifted it's head to draw in a breath as flames began overflowing from behind it's teeth. Mayu made her way towards the beast's side, gathering two hands of energy from the Aether-Drive, she flung her hands forward one at a time, pummeling Ifrit's jaw with blows of frozen ice crystals. This made him roar in pain, but it lowered it's head quickly to unleash it's breath of fire down towards Firo, but he had already made it safe under Ifrit's head. Taking the spear in hand, he swung at it's forearms, slashing at the flesh, before spinning the spear to strike up at the beast's throat.

Ifrit bled from it's wounds, shaking it's head wildly in a furious frenzy. Reaching out to try to swipe a claw at Yshimu, she managed to just barely make it out of the way of it's claw, before firing a few more arrows into Ifrit's face. One of the arrows struck Ifrit's eye, slashing away at the flesh as the air whirled around the arrows until they vanished from the energy wearing off. Firo continued his assault of slashes and stabs from below the beast, safe from it's fire breath. Ifrit reached for it's eye with it's claw. Angry, the beast drew in a deep breath before unleashing it's flames towards Yshimu.

Yshimu barely had to time to dodge, thrusting her arms in front of her to shield herself and shut her eyes in fear. She didn't feel any of the flames, instead heard a woman's voice in front of her. A tall, slender woman with pointed ears stood before her, blocking the fire breath with a shield that was equipped with an Aether-Drive. She was an Efiel.

"You alright, Yshimu?" the woman called out. She was wearing the outfit of the Cerulean Knights, a branch within the Aether Corps of the Grenschal's military. In her right hand was a long sword that had a barrel going down the blunt side of the sword with a trigger by the sword's hilt.

"Kayaki?" Yshimu asked, peering through between her arms. "What are you doing out here, Kayaki?"

"Long story. Point is, this thing needs to die. And I'm sure Firo, being the fool, charged right in. Am I right?" She smiled looking back at her, peering through loose strands of silver grey hair.

"You know him too well," Yshimu joked as she notched back the string, and once the fire passed, moved off to the side of Kayaki to fire off a few more arrows that bore into Ifrit's flesh.

Ifrit roared out to the sky as it rose up once again, opening it's mouth wide. Fire began to collect and swirl in it's mouth, forming a ball of furiously spinning fire that continued to grow quickly. Firo moved quickly out towards the side of Ifrit, watching at what the beast was now doing. The ball of fire had grown rather large, to almost the size of a meteor. With a mighty roar, Ifrit fired the orb of condensed fire towards the city. It made impact with a building with a large explosion sending burning debris down towards the streets, causing the people to run in panic as several military vehicles were crushes and lit ablaze. Mayu looked back at the damage that Ifrit had caused, watching in shock.

Kayaki clicked her tongue in anger as she heard her comrades either running from the damage or crying out in pain. Turning her attention back to the large beast that stood before her, raising her shield, as well as her sword, ready to strike. "You're going to regret that," she said as her finger gently traced over the trigger by the sword's hilt.

Ifrit lowered itself back down onto it's claws, matching glares with Kayaki now. She let out a cry as she began her charge towards the beast. Slashing twice at it's arm, before jumping off to the side. She aimed the barrel at Ifrit's head and pulled the trigger. A loud bang roared from the barrel as her arm lifted in recoil as she fired a shot at Ifrit's head.

Mayu moved forward, collecting more Aether in her hands from her Aether-Drive. Controlling the flow of the Aether, she flung a concentrated ice spell at the neck of Ifrit. The Aether solidified into solid ice around it's neck, making it hard for the beast to thrash it's head around.

"Firo, try to get it's neck!" shouted Mayu as she controlled the flow of Aether to try to keep the ice solid for as long as possible.

He responded with a nod and began making his way towards it's tail. Yshimu had ran off towards Ifrit's side and pulled the trigger on her bow, sending the device into overdrive. Pulling the string back as her bow whirred with energy, a larger arrow formed with Aether swirling around it. The Aether whirled violently around the arrow and flew with it upon release. A strong gust of wind blew hard against her as the arrow flew free of the bow, digging deep into Ifrit's tail, pinning it to the ground. The wind that whirled around the arrow kept cutting away at the flesh of Ifrit's tail. Firo, finding this to be his chance, took to running up the beast's tail and up along it's back. Readying his spear, he spun it before him before holding it ready to strike. Drawing closer to the beast's neck, he lept off it's back, aiming the blade of the spear down to drive it into Ifrit's neck as he came down. The blade struck down with a loud clang of steel, being that he struck the beast's collar instead of the flesh. He could feel a force trying to push his spear away, but he fought against it. Pushing the spear down harder until he heard something begin to crack. Fearing it was his spear, he looked down quickly. It was not his spear, but rather the collar that was beginning to crack and break. Feeling a surge of energy swell inside of himself, he pushed the spear harder into the collar until ultimately, a loud metallic shattering could be heard, followed by a pained roar. The black steel of the collar shattered to only fall to pieces as it fell towards the ground, with the beast soon to fall shortly after.

Breathing heavily, he drew his spear from the beast's neck to hold out to his side. Letting the spear return down to the size of a dagger, he placed it back into it's sheath as he let out a sigh of relief. Climbing down from the beast, he began walking towards his friends, looking around at all of the damage that was caused by this creature. The beast was silent for a few, before it finally let out a pained groan as it lifted it's head slowly.

"How could I be bested so easily? No.. I think I understand. She must have sent you," the beast spoke, struggling to lift itself back up from the ground.

Firo turned around, afraid that the beast might try to strike out at him once more. The others feared the same, and as such all gathered next to him ready to fight again.

"So you must be the one who carries my ember. As such, I will give you my power to borrow. Use it wisely," the beast growled as it struggled to raise itself to stand. Locking it's sight on Firo, the beast engulfed itself in flame before taking a charge towards them. They braced themselves for the impact but there was none. Instead the flame passed through them with no evidence of Ifrit left standing. The flames passed and died away, but Firo felt something warm on his chest. Looking down at his necklace, he saw the gem was now glowing gently with a small flame trapped inside of it now.

"What happened to the beast?" Kayaki asked as she looked around, confused by it's disappearance.

"Did we win?" Yshimu asked as she lowered her bow, letting it collapse back to it's compact form.

"I think...we won. But…" Firo spoke, feeling unsure of the events that transpired.

"Ifrit has become a part of you," Mayu interrupted as she stepped forward and pointed to Firo's necklace. "I think Ifrit was driven mad by something. Maybe that's why it was thrashing about so much."

"Firo, I need to ask you something and please answer me truthfully," Kayaki spoke up, turning to face the group with her sword still drawn at her side. "Have you joined Lotus?"

"Lotus? What the hell? No, I haven't! What would make you say that?" Firo asked, feeling slightly offended that his old comrade would ask such a thing.

"Are you telling me the truth? Our intel said that this was an attack that was orchestrated by Lotus," Kayaki raised her sword, pointing to towards Firo's chest with the intent to strike if he should prove to be an enemy.

Firo stared her down as he took a step forward, letting the blade press against his chest, "I don't think Lotus would even be capable of an attack on this scale, Kayaki."

Both Mayu and Yshimu watched on nervously as they both exchanged determined glares to each other. It was almost like it was a silent battle of wills of their past selves trying to fight their present selves before them. Kayaki slowly lowered her sword before sheathing it within her shield.

"Very well," Kayaki said coldly before turning away from them to start walking towards the military check point.

It seemed like everything had calmed down since the Aether didn't choke the air as much as it did before. A few stray monsters remained, but were being dealt with by the military. It seemed that the threat was gone now since Ifrit had been defeated. Letting out a sigh of relief, Firo almost felt like he could just fall back into the grass and relax for a bit. But that thought was cut short by the sudden static in the com-link.

"Firo…. They're sending a clean up crew…" Cid's voice said through the device. "Cover story…. Lotus involvement. We're going to pick you guys up."

"What? They can't mean… We have to get back to Cid's place!" Firo shouted as he turned around and began running towards the exit of the park.

Kayaki stopped in her tracks and watched as Firo and his friends ran past her. Tilting her head towards the ear where her com-link was, she clicked her tongue in anger and began moving towards Firo. "You did join Lotus, didn't you?" she scowled, lifting her shield up to draw her sword. "You're nothing more than a traitor now!"

Firo stopped running and turned to face her quickly. Letting out a panted breath of annoyance, he growled under his voice. "I didn't join them. Don't you get it? This is some crazy PR spin on what just happened! We need to get out of here! Now!"

"Kayaki… please listen to him," Yshimu pleaded, not wanting to fight her.

"Silence! I won't have you lie to me any more! I will take you in myself. And you will tell me where Lynx is hiding!" Kayaki barked at them, with every ounce of authority she could muster into her voice.

Kayaki and Firo stood motionless as they stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Firo's hand drew close to his weapon as Kayaki took her prideful stance with sword and shield. Lifting up her sword to lay flat in the air, ready to thrust for a counter attack at any moment. Firo looked annoyed at this turn of events. He knew he couldn't turn his back to her, she would attack if he did. But if he attacked, then he would look as guilty as she pinned him to be. His best option was to keep her locked in a stand still, and hope that Cid would bail them out of trouble. The air was tense between them as they continued to stare each other down. This continued until Yshimu spoke up.

"I think that's a bad sign, guys!" she cried out, pointing to the airship that was hovering in the sky above them.

The airship began aiming it's main cannons towards the ground, the barrels lighting up as they began gathering energy for their barrage. The sound of the energy gathering was enough to break the tension between Firo and Kayaki as they both turned to look up at the ship, but as they did the barrage began. Shot after shot rained down around them, causing the ground to explode upon impact. Showering down dirt and rock from each explosion. Several shots hit where the crystal was housed, causing the power in the park to die out quickly as the lamps all shut off. The barrage continued for several minutes as they scrambled to find cover from the fire, trying to dodge the spotlights that were now illuminating the city as it began to lose all of it's power. Firo hid behind a tree, managing to avoid all of the debris that was being launched into the air.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Yshimu shouted, looking over at Kayaki.

"If they're going this far, it would seem that they plan to let the city fall," Kayaki replied, looking down at the ground. "Freyja has been deemed infected. And thus, must be purged from the sky."

"Those bastards!" Firo growled under his breath, glancing down at his necklace as he continued to feel the warmth radiate, almost in tune with his soul.

The strange woman's voice rang in his head once more, "Summon his strength. His gift will aide you."

"Guess it's now or never," he said under his breath, gathering his courage and deciding to trust the woman's voice.

Moving from behind the tree, he held out his hand as if he was aiming for the airship. Feeling his soul begin to harmonize with the beast that now resided within his necklace, he felt a warm energy begin to slowly engulf him. The air near his hand began to ignite and swirl into a ball that grew quickly as the flames grew, condensing itself to become tighter and tighter until the orb of fire grew a mixture of orange and dark red that swirled around each other violently. Releasing it from his control, it fired like a cannon towards the airship, striking the hull near the cannons as it bathed the ship in what seemed like Hellfire. The metal of the hull melted upon impact, causing the weapons area to explode one after another. This sent the airship into a downward spiral as it quickly approached the ground near them at a rapid rate. Crashing into the ground, the engine caught fire now that would result in another explosion that knocked Firo back causing him to hit the back of his head against a tree. Before him, the world grew dark but he could still hear the chaos faintly as that too began to slowly fade into the darkness. The ominous creaking of the ground below him as the city began to fall from it's peaceful place among the clouds, he felt the land begin to tilt as he opened his eyes for one brief moment. He saw a figure approach him, attempting to lift him from where he was seated against the tree. Finally, all went black and silent. The chaos turned to peace as he had fallen into a state of unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Firo felt weightless, as if he was in a dream. A gentle hand was brushing fingers through his hair. He didn't feel tired, nor did he feel any pain. He figured that maybe he was dead. Hearing a faint, gentle voice talking to him, he began to stir. Slowly beginning to open his eyes as he sat up.

"You've awoken, my child. That is good," a familiar voice spoke to him. He saw a woman of pale skin, and hair of glistening gold sit before him. She was dressed in a garb of white that was tied by sashes of gold. Her eyes were like sapphires and her lips were like rubies.

Firo struggled to stand up, hearing water splash beneath him as he stood up and look around. The ground beneath the water looked as pure as white marble. The chairs were made of the same material, as was the throne she sat in. Behind her sat eight beautifully crafted statues. Each depicting either some manner of beast or a person. He looked at them with a feeling of awe until his eyes looked over one statue in particular. The beast looked familiar. He slowly reached for his necklace, grasping the charm that hung from it gently. The statue was of a beast like creature that had large horns. It was Ifrit. Unable to find the words, he looked to the woman immediately and she only responded with gently raising her pale hand. Silently telling him not to talk.

"Worry not, my child," she spoke as she glanced at the statue. "He is one of my children. Just as everyone on Vehlahn is my child. Although your people would refer to him as an Eikon. I am Slyphaal, mother to all."

"So, the legend Mayu told us is true," Firo said as he nodded. This was all so much to take in. "But if you sealed them away, why did Ifrit break free?"

"The seal has weakened. My son has escaped. He was freed by those who seek greed from power. And as such, formed a contract. He grows ever stronger and I can no longer stop him. I no longer have the power to do so. If you can free my children, you may be able to restore the seal, just as your ancestors did before you," Slyphaal explained as she gently rose from her throne, stepping forward. Her steps didn't splash the water, but instead caused tiny ripples on the water's surface. "Trust in your friends and the allies you will make. I am sorry, but I must entrust the task with your kind."

"Ancestors? So this has happened before?" he asked, shocked by what she had explained to him.

"Yes. You will make five more allies. Place your trust in them and the strength all of you possess will grow, shining the brightest light to banish the darkness." she spoke gently, as she rested a hand on Firo's cheek. "Never lose faith. The crystals will guide you. Now you must return to them, my child. We will speak again when the time comes."

Slyphaal stepped back, gently seating herself back upon her throne. Her body began to slowly turn to pure clear, beautiful crystal as she remained seated. As Firo watched this, he felt a ringing in his head as he heard distant voices calling to him. Falling to his knees as he held his head with both hands, he struggled to remain conscious until he finally collapsed onto the floor, causing the water to splash onto his face.

He suddenly awoke, seeing the face of his friend Yshimu sitting over him. Looking around, he didn't recognize where he was. Fighting to try to sit up until Yshimu forced him to lay back down.

"No getting up! You got hit pretty hard," Yshimu scolded him, smiling right after.

"Where are we?" Firo managed to ask as he looked around and saw Mayu and Kayaki as well.

"We're on Cid's airship. Bahamut he calls it. Comes from old lore, the king of the dragons it was," Mayu chimed in, enjoying a moment to show off her knowledge of legends and myths. "He got us out of there just in time. How the hell did you cast a large fire spell? You're Aether-Drive appears to be broken and only had ice and water materia in it."

"I think it's because of Ifrit. Ugh…" Firo forced himself to sit up, using Yshimu's shoulder for support. "Slyphaal… I got to see her. Apparently, Ifrit is mine to control now. I think." He paused a moment to think about this. He wasn't sure if it really was his to control or not. But he was ever grateful for the aide. Especially, in the wake of the battle they had just fought.

Mayu's face lit up. She was clearly excited by this news. She rushed over to Firo, nearly knocking Yshimu over as she eagerly pressed him for answers. "You control Ifrit? How? Why? Tell me more! Tell me everything! What's Slyphaal like? Did she reveal anything to you? Details! Details! Now!"

"Calm down, Mayu. He just woke up," Kayaki scolded her coldly. "Glad to see you're still alive." She gave him a cool look.

"Sorry. I just got too excited, I suppose," Mayu apologized as her ears went low and sat on her knees after taking a step back. "But, later, right?"

"I don't know much. She wants her children to be freed. And something about her 'son' was freed and made a contract. I'm sorry I don't remember too much," Firo shook his head as he sat up fully on the bench. His head still ringing from all that had transpired.

"Well, I hate to tell you the bad news but… well maybe it's better if you saw for yourself," Kayaki said as she reached out to the screen and turned it on. The screen showed clips of the events that happened earlier. Monsters were chasing the citizens and being fought off by the military. But there were more than just the Bombs they saw earlier. There were large hulking monsters that had horns growing from their heads and had fire engulf their fists. Strange gelatinous creatures that melted any metal they came into contact with. There was also a clip of them standing in the park, followed by the video of Firo launching the fireball at the airship that took it down.

"As you have just witnesses, Lotus has unleashed a horde of monsters upon the unsuspecting citizens of Freyja. Among those involved are former captain of the Crimson Wings, Firo Argent, and now former captain of the Cerulean Kights, Kayaki Yulena. The other members are yet to be identified but are to be considered extremely dangerous. Their attack resulted in the failure of Freyja's supporting system, causing the city to fall to the world below. It is currently unknown if there were any survivors but expected casualties are in the thousands. If you have any information regarding these members of Lotus, you are to contact Grenschal authorities immediately. More on the story as it develops," the woman on the screen reported as she looked into the camera with a straight face as she fed the masses the lies that were constructed by the Grenschal Organization. "We now take you to President Grenschal, where he will be giving a speech about the recent events."

The screen cut to a well dressed man with blond hair and green eyes as he stood behind a podium that bore the Grenschal emblem. He cleared his throat he as took to standing before the microphone that sat before him. "My humble citizens!" he proudly proclaimed. "We stand together as witnesses to the terrible acts of these loathsome terrorists. It seems they will sacrifice innocent lives as though they were nothing but yesterdays trash. So I urge you to stay vigilant. Every human, Mi'quthal, Vahrul, Barshaal, Gobkin, Efiel, Lucien, and Roefren alike to stand united in our time of sorrow. Many lives were lost today. We shall not let their deaths be in vain. Instead, we shall carry their memories with us. To drive the swift sword of justice so that they may pay for their crimes! Our forces will not rest until they are brought to pay for the deaths of our brethren! So I offer a reward for anyone who can provide sufficient information that will lead to their arrests. For the safety of Vahlehn, I must ask that you remain ever vigilant in our darkest time. Thank you," President Grenschal gave a powerful speech before the masses. Bowing slightly before he left the podium and walking off to his assistants as they left the press room, ignoring all the questions being asked by the press. The screen cut back to the news woman as she was about to read from her next line, Kayaki turned off the screen and looked at Firo.

"We're fugitives now," she said as she took a seat at the nearby table.

"Terrorists? We helped fighting those monsters… I don't understand," Yshimu said, turning to look at Kayaki.

"Kayaki would have been a hero killed in action if we hadn't escaped.." Firo said as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Instead, I followed you guys. And because I know the truth, I'm a liability. Just like the rest of you," Kayaki added as she looked around at everyone. "Cid's trying to reach an old friend of his. Says she runs the city of Alto."

"Alto? The city of gold?" Yshimu asked as she slowly rose to her feet.

Kayaki nodded before she said, "That's the one."

"How? They're going to plaster our faces everywhere," Firo asked, looking over at Kayaki with a lost expression.

Mayu looked at Firo before turning to look at Kayaki. Grinning mischievously, she nodded her head before speaking, "Because Grenschal doesn't really control Alto. But rather, the officers there are paid to not notice anything by the people in power there. Am I right?"

"Exactly. The higher ups have been suspicious of the illegal activity. But without anyone willing to actually report any of it, there's no evidence. No evidence, no crime," Kayaki explained with a smug grin, crossing her arms over her chest and crossed one leg over the other.

"It would be the safest place for us to go. Especially if Cid knows someone there. But what do we do after that?" Firo wondered as he looked over at Kayaki.

"We'll just figure it out as we go. I think that's all we can do right now," Yshimu chimed in cheerfully with a big smile on her face. "What's important is that we're still alive and in one piece. What comes next is something we'll figure out together. For now, we should just rest. Don't you agree?"

Firo, Kayaki, and Mayu all nodded in agreement. Soon after, a voice came through the speakers.

"Alright, kids. I just got a hold of our friends at Alto. We're going to be visiting 'investors' that are looking to finance a casino. Relax for now. We'll be reaching Alto, City of Gold, in about five hours. So take this time to enjoy the lovely scenery and the complementary refreshments that aren't really complementary," Cid said as he spoke over the intercom, with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"I guess you're right," Firo said before lifting himself up onto his feet, letting out a pained grunt as she stood. "I'll need some time to recover before we get into our next fight."

"I'll tend to your wounds. I specialize in healing and protective spells," Mayu said as she stood up. "I can use these spells without the use of an Aether-Drive, but I'll explain that later."

Alto, the City of Gold, is a prosperous city. While it is still a city under the Grenschal flag, there are others who control this city. The city is well known for its financial districts and gambling resorts. At night, the city seems to radiate gold from the lights from the city. Alto's streets are filled with those of every race, but those who seem to run the city are among the Lucien and Gobkin race. No matter the hour, the streets would still be filled with life with the shops open to all who would have the coin to spend it. Any desire to be bought, as long as the price was fitting.

Within the lavish capital building of Alto, behind a beautifully crafted desk, sat a Lucien who was the true ruler of Alto. The Lucien's are a short race who almost seem childish, but are as mischievous as they are intelligent. The Lucien woman of long auburn hair reached forward to the console on her desk, turning off the screen as she ended a call. Dressed in her stately formal attire of a royal blue dress that was adorned with golden buttons and golden lining.

"It seems we're going to be having some guests, dear sister," she said as she brushed her hair away from the front of her face, with a big grin.

"Oh? Are they going to be fun guests this time? I grow tired of those uptight officials coming here all the time," said another Lucien woman who was in the office. She wore a strange top hat over her raven black hair that had a large red streak in it towards the front, and a joker card resting in the brim. Dressed in a black vest suit with a red undershirt. Silver eyes peering from beneath the brim of her hat to the woman behind the desk.

"Now, Lucia, you can't set everyone on fire. These are personal guests of mine. They need our help. See to it that the preparations are made and the guards are paid. They must be blind to our guests," she said as she stood in her desk chair to fully peer over the desk to her younger sister.

"Alright, Lafisa. I'll play nice for now," Lucia responded in almost a childlike manner as she gave a small pout.

Of course, where everything is bathed in golden light, there are always bound to be secrets hiding within the shadows. Alto was a city with a bustling economy as well as a bustling underground society. Time marches on, and all the pawns were beginning to make their moves. Little did we know the strings of fate that had bound us together from the start. Even there were movements in the shadows, elsewhere in the city.

A hooded man sat alone inside a run down apartment, overlooking a map of the city of Alto. A small glow of the cigarette that hung from his lips, before he exhaled a puff of smoke. He was making notes on the map as he focused on a government building in the city. Hearing a knock on the door, he laid down the pen before speak up.

"Come in," the hooded man said without turning to face the door.

A young man opened the door and walked into the apartment, giving the man a salute before speaking, "Sir. I've come to deliver the report on the activity of Freyja."

"Go on," he said as he turned around to look at the young man.

"Master Lynx, after a strange growth of Aether energy at the central crystal of Freyja, monsters had overrun the square. A large monster was seen shortly after and laid waste to Grenschal forces," the young man continued. "The beast was felled by the people who they showed on the news. However, they are in no way listed within our ranks."

"At least not yet," Lynx spoke as he took the cigarette from his mouth and extinguished it in the ash tray.

A bit confused, the young man stepped forward. "Sir? What do you mean?"

"I will meet them in time. And I'll ask them to join us. What other choice can they have at this point, right?" he said, showing a fanged grin in the dim light of the apartment. "The pawns have moved. Now is the time to remove their strongest pieces from the board. We can't let the lives lost on Freyja to be in vain. A ruler who is willingly ready to sacrifice its citizens is not someone fit to be called a ruler. Send the order, I want every available agent to find our new friends."

"Yes, sir!" the young man saluted before he took his leave.

"The air feels heavy lately. Could the Aether be changing here as well?" he asked as he began walking out to the small balcony that was attached to his third story apartment, watching the people walk by in the streets below. "Firo Argent… This time we won't be crossing blades."

The airship station was busy as usual with all the people coming and going. New arrivals and people leaving to head off to new cities. Some of them transporting goods along with them. Cid's airship had just docked minutes earlier, and now they found themselves wandering through the station in a group. Cid was leading them, with his Vahrul assistant close by that was carrying his bag that contained all of his research notes.

"So, Cid. Who are we looking for?" Firo asked as he followed behind him.

"A Lucien friend of mine. She's agreed to put us up for a bit. In exchange we do some work for her, of course," Cid said with a sly grin.

"I hate the way you just answered that. A job with no pay, but I guess we can't be too picky right now. This doesn't feel right to me," he said as he glanced over to Yshimu and Mayu.

Kayaki wasn't too far behind the group. She felt so out of place now. Being a wanted criminal while she was still wearing the armored uniform of the Cerulean Knights. Letting out a depressed sigh, she looked over to Firo.

"My career is completely in shambles now. All those years of hard work, now wasted. What am I supposed to do now?" Kayaki asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Could always become a mercenary. There's good money in that," Firo said without hesitation.

Lucia came walking up to the group with a mischievous grin on her face as she carelessly walked up to Cid, waving to him excitedly. "Are you the really old guy that big sis told me to come greet and not set fire to? Mr. Cid, was it?" she asked cheerfully, tipping up the brim of her hat with a stylishly gloved small hand.

Cid couldn't help but chuckle at her question before giving her a confirming nod. "That would be me. You must be Lucia. How has your sister been lately?" he asked happily.

"She's been busy as always. I really think that she's forgotten to have fun," Lucia responded as she gave a surrendering shrug. She leaned over to the side and glanced over the rest of the group. Letting a big smile grow on her face before leaping to the side and spreading out her arms in a welcoming manner. "Helloooooooooooo!" she cheered out to them with a short chuckle following soon after. "I am Lucia, Mistress of the Arcane and all of that is mysterious within the city of Alto! You can address me as Mistress Lucia! Yeah, mistress sounds awesome."

"Um, hi. I'm Yshimu," she said as she looked down at the short, yet very eccentric Lucia that stood before her.

"I'm Kayaki," she said coldly as she tried to read Lucia.

"My name is Firo. It's nice to meet you, Lucia," he said, giving her a nod.

"Mayu," she said as she took a small step forward, bowing slightly.

"Now that introductions are out of the way! We should be on our way. Big sis doesn't like to be kept waiting, ya know. She can be pretty scary when she gets mad," Lucia said cheerfully as she began marching forward, leading them.

"We'll be safe here. Lafisa has more control over this city than Grenschal does. Money seems to go a long way here," Cid added in as he followed close behind Lucia.

"So how did you meet someone like Lafisa?" Kayaki asked in her usual cold tone, adjusting her shield on her left arm.

"Gambling. I met her through gambling. If there's one thing Lafisa can't resist is a good bet when the stakes are high. That's how everything is handled here through their 'official' channels," Cid answered, letting out a small laugh as if he remembered something.

"You'll be safe here, anyway. But if you disrespect my big sis, I'll set you on fire. Try not to forget that," Lucia said cheerfully, leading them through the crowded city streets now.

It would be a short while before they reached the capital building. The gates were golden rods that were adorned with silver vines that seemed to entangle themselves around the rods, holding it together. The building was a rather large, impressively lavish estate. In front of the building, a large statue of a rather impressive looking Lucien woman stood in the middle of a well-lit fountain. Lucia raised her hand, touching a silver leaf that seemed to be sitting out of place. Pushing the leaf, the gates began to slowly slide open, with the groaning sounds of the gears as the mechanism came to life. The front yard of the estate was beautifully decorated with trees that had thousands of blooming flowers on them. The continued down along the stone paved path that led to the front door.

Lucia turned around before the large double doors to face them with a big grin on her face. Lifting the hat off her head, she took a small bow to their guests and said, "Welcome to Lemure Manor! I am Lucia Lemure. My big sis is Lafisa Lemure. My twin brother is Melbor Lemure. If you should need anything, be sure to come talk to us."

After she greeted them, the large doors opened inward as if they were welcoming them with open arms. The hallway was lined with well dress butlers and maids of what seemed like of every race, except Gobkin and Barshaal. They all bowed in unison to the guests as they walked into the hallway.

"Welcome to Lemure Manor," The butlers and maids all said in unison, before standing straight again.

"Well… this is certainly discrete. Are you sure we're going to be safe here?" Firo asked as he looked around in amazement at how lavish the manor was on the inside.

"Of course. Lafisa owes me this since I won our bet," Cid said before we went ahead and walked forward, looking towards the servants. "It's been a long day. Could we be shown to our rooms? And Lucia, can you arrange a meeting with your sister tomorrow?"

"Of course!" Lucia chimed. "I'll go talk to her. She has a meeting in the morning, so it might be a lunch meeting."

With a hand motion from Lucia, the servants came to greet each person to lead them up the large manor stairs up to the second floor walkway. Now splitting from each other, each servants showed them to their individual rooms with barely a spoken word. Each of them took their room and began removing their equipment and relaxed within their rooms.

Firo particularly walked straight towards the bed and collapsed on it. Still feeling exhausted he could feel himself slip away into darkness as his body felt heavier with each passing breath. Until he felt something cold and wet on his face, he began to stir, until he pushed himself up to sit on his knees and looked around. He was no longer in the lavish bedroom of the manor. He was now in that same marble room where he met Sylphaal. Looking around carefully, he noticed his body rested above the water and not in it. It was like a dream as he looked around and eventually saw her throne. She was seated in her throne, but in flesh instead of crystal.

"Rest now, my child. I will explain. You now possess the powers of Ifrit. Pray use them well. You have good friends. Look after them, because they will need your help and guidance soon." she spoke, lifting her head from her hand.

"But what of the people of Freyja? They're dead because of this," Firo asked, rising to his feet and taking a step towards her.

"I have tended to their souls. And not all are dead. I managed to save as many as I could, but I am now weaker. I need to entrust you with the rest for now. I shall rest and recover my strength. May the Flames of Ifrit protect you, my child." she said, resting her eyes for now.

The room grew dark as Firo took another step forward. Everything was gone. There was no echo to his footstep. However, the air felt heavy. This caused his body to shake from an unknown terror that he knew was there. He could hear chains rattle in this distance, as if someone was trying to break them. Looking forward, he saw a red orb glow in the distance that was followed by a sadistic laugh shortly after.

"So she has chosen you? Her faith in your kind sickens me. We don't need your kind. I will devour your Aether and claim you as my own." the beast laughed again, the red orb flashed away before reappearing. It seemed like it was blinking. "Worry not. We shall meet soon enough. I'll claim you and Ifrit for myself. I will be reunited with my brothers and sisters once more. Remember my name, for I am Anima!" the beast roared out, pushing a strong unseen energy against him that caused him to collapse.

Firo rose from the bed, breathing heavy and covered in sweat. Without realizing it, he repeated the beast's name over and over under his breath. This continued until he heard a knock at the door and a familiar voice come from behind it.

"Firo. Are you alright? I heard you screaming.." Yshimu inquired from behind the door.


End file.
